Pacifier for infants

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a pacifier for infants used to comfort infants. More specifically, a silicone tube body (10), into which or from which air can be injected or discharged such that an infant feels the silicone tube body like a breast of the infant&#39;s mother when touching the silicone tube body, is coupled for use to a nipple-shaped nipple unit (50) by a secure coupling unit (30), and thus, due to the infant&#39;s touching of the silicone tube body, not only emotional security as if the infant were in the bosom of the infant&#39;s mother can be provided but also the development of the infant&#39;s brain can be beneficially stimulated, in comparison with traditional plastic pacifiers. Particularly, the nipple unit is not only simply coupled but also hermetically coupled by the secure coupling unit to a coupling ring formed at the front of the silicone tube body, and the silicone tube body has a valve through which air is smoothly injected or discharged, and thus the product not only can be assembled and taken apart for use but also provides great confidence and convenience of using air injection. In addition, when air is injected into the silicone tube body, the tube body is inflated not upward but downward so as to be prevented from blocking out the forward field of view of the infant sucking on the pacifier, and thus psychological security is more greatly provided for the infant.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a pacifier for infants used to comfortinfants, and more specifically, a pacifier for infants which includes asilicone tube body combined with a nipple-shaped part so that an infantfeels like a mother's breast, thereby providing the infant withemotional security in his or her mother's arms when the infant touchesthe pacifier and helping improvement of brain development.

BACKGROUND ART

In general, a pacifier for infants is a product for infants used tosoothe lap babies or infants.

A part going inside an infant's mouth, of the pacifier for infants, ismolded of synthetic resin which is harmless to humans, and the pacifierfor infants includes a nipple-shaped unit and a plaything unit combinedwith the nipple-shaped unit.

However, the plaything unit of the conventional pacifier for infants issimply molded of a plastic material so that an infant can play with theplaything unit while fingering it. Therefore, the conventional pacifierfor infants provides the infant with curiosity and fun, but is not goodsince the infant feels hard when he or she touches the pacifier with hisor her hands and causes emotional anxiety since the feeling obtainedwhen the infant touches the pacifier is very different from the feelingobtained when the infant touches his or her mother's breast.

Particularly, tactility, comfort, warmth, and the likes for emotionaldevelopment are very important. It is known that infants feel moretactility, comfort and warmth when they suck their mothers' breasts andit has a good effect on emotional development.

In the meantime, Korean Utility Model Registration No. 20-0212800, whichhas devised by the same inventors as the present invention, discloses afeeding bottle for infants, which includes a tube body capable offilling the inside with air in order to provide the feeling of amother's breast. The inventors of the present invention studied to applythe feeding bottle for infants to a pacifier for infants in order todevelop a product to help infants' emotional security and braindevelopment.

DISCLOSURE Technical Problem

Accordingly, the present invention has been made in an effort to solvethe above-mentioned problems occurring in the prior arts, and it is anobject of the present invention to provide a pacifier for infants whichincludes a nipple-shaped unit and a silicon tube body, which is coupledwith the nipple-shaped unit and into which or from which air can beinjected or discharged such that an infant can feel the silicone tubebody like a breast of the infant's mother, thereby providing the infantwith emotional security as if the infant were in the bosom of theinfant's mother and helping the infant's brain development when theinfant touches the pacifier.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a pacifier forinfants, in which the nipple-shaped unit is simply coupled to thesilicon tube body in an airtight way and into which or from which air issmoothly injected or discharged through a valve, thereby providingconvenience and reliability in assembly, disassembly and air injection.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a pacifierfor infants of which the tube body is inflated downwards when air isinjected into the silicon tube body so as not to block the view of theinfant who has the pacifier in his or her mouth, thereby providing theinfant with psychological security better.

Technical Solution

To achieve the above objects, the present invention provides a pacifierfor infants including: a silicon tube body having a spherical body withflexibility so that an infant feels the body like a breast of theinfant's mother when the infant touches the body, a valve for injectingair into the body or discharging air from the body, and a round couplingring integrally formed on the rim of an opening part of the front to bethicker than the body; a secure coupling unit fit and coupled onto thecoupling ring of the silicon tube body; and a nipple-shaped unit coupledto the secure coupling unit.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the valve of thesilicon tube body includes a split part cut in a straight line so thatair can be injected or discharged, and right and left protrusions formedat both sides of a lower portion of the split part, and the right andleft protrusions push out a cover sheet closely combined with the lowerportion of the valve from the bottom of the split part so as to secure agap space allowing air to be injected or discharged.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the body of thesilicon tube body has an upper portion which is thicker than theremainder and is expanded not upwards but downwards when air isinjected, so as not to block the forward view of the infant while theinfant has the nipple-shaped unit in the infant's mouth.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the secure couplingunit includes a fixing member and a coupling member, wherein the fixingmember has a ring-shaped coupling groove hermetically fit and coupled tothe coupling ring of the silicon tube body on the outer circumference ofthe body, a tension retaining piece having a retaining jaw formed at theouter face and tensioning inwardly and outwardly, and a ring-shapedcoupling protrusion formed on the same circumference as the tensionretaining piece, wherein the ring-shaped coupling protrusion is insertedinto the middle of the body and the coupling member has a coupling holehaving a retaining groove formed on the inner circumference such thatthe retaining jaw of the tension retaining piece is caught to theretaining groove not to be separated, and a through hole which has adiameter smaller in diameter than the coupling hole and is formed to bestepped, and wherein a coupling part at the rear of the nipple-shapedunit is inserted between the ring-shaped coupling protrusion of thefixing member and a stepped jaw inside the coupling member so as not tobe separated.

Advantageous Effects

The pacifier for infants according to an embodiment of the presentinvention includes the nipple-shaped unit and the silicon tube body,which is coupled with the nipple-shaped unit by the secure coupling unitand into which or from which air can be injected or discharged such thatan infant can feel the silicone tube body like a breast of the infant'smother when touching the silicone tube body, thereby providing theinfant with emotional security as if the infant were in the bosom of theinfant's mother and helping the infant's brain development when theinfant touches the pacifier, in comparison with traditional plasticpacifiers.

Particularly, the nipple unit is not only simply coupled but alsohermetically coupled by the secure coupling unit to the coupling ringformed at the front of the silicone tube body, and the silicone tubebody has the valve through which air is smoothly injected or discharged,and thus the product not only can be assembled and disassembled but alsoprovides great confidence and convenience of using air injection. Inaddition, when air is injected into the silicone tube body, the tubebody is swollen not upwards but downwards so as not to block out theview of the infant who is sucking on the pacifier, and thuspsychological security is more greatly provided for the infant.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the outward appearance of apacifier for infants according to an embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a front sectional view of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional view showing a valve of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged sectional view showing a secure coupling unit anda nipple-shaped unit of FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is a plan view according to the embodiment of the presentinvention.

MODE FOR INVENTION

Hereinafter, reference will be now made in detail to the preferredembodiment of the present invention with reference to the attacheddrawings.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 6, a pacifier for infants according to anembodiment of the present invention includes a silicon tube body 10, asecure coupling unit 30, and a nipple-shaped unit 50.

The silicon tube body 10 is made of a flexible silicon material and hasa spherical body 11 into which air is charged such that an infant feelsit like the breast of his or her mother when the infant touches it.

The spherical body 11 of the silicon tube body 10 includes a valve 12for injecting air into the body 11 or discharging air from the body 11,and a round coupling ring 15 integrally formed on the rim of an openingpart 14 of the front to be thicker than the body 11.

Here, the valve 12 includes a split part 12 a cut in a straight line sothat air can be injected or discharged, and right and left protrusions12 b formed at both sides of a lower portion of the split part 12 a. Theright and left protrusions 12 b push out a cover sheet 5 closelycombined with the lower portion of the valve 12 from the bottom of thesplit part 12 a so that a gap space 6 allowing air to be injected ordischarged is formed so as to solve the problem that the cover sheetprevents air from being deflated while getting in contact with the splitpart.

In this instance, in a state where the cover sheet 5 gets in contactwith the bottom of the valve, the border of the cover sheet 5 is bondedand at least one portion of the border is opened in such a way that aflow of air is usually prevented but the border is opened such that airis injected or discharged if it is necessary to inject or discharge air.

Moreover, preferably, the spherical body 11 of the silicon tube body 10is swollen not upwards but downwards when air is injected so as not toblock the view of the infant who is sucking on the nipple-shaped unit 50combined with the front of the silicon tube body.

That is, as shown in FIG. 6, an upper portion A of the spherical body 11is thicker than the remainder, for instance, an upper portion is 3 mm inthickness and the remainder is 0.9 mm in thickness, such that the body11 is swollen downwardly convexly while not the upper portion but theremainder of the tube body is expanded downwards when air is injected.

The secure coupling unit 30 includes a fixing member 31 coupled to thecoupling ring 15 of the silicon tube body and a coupling member 35coupled to the front of the fixing member 31, and the nipple-shaped unit50 is joined between the fixing member 31 and the coupling member 35.

The fixing member 31 is detachably and firmly fit on the coupling ring15 on the outer circumference of the body, and includes a ring-shapedcoupling groove 32 fixed and coupled hermetically, a tension retainingpiece 33 having a retaining jaw 33 a and tensioning inwardly andoutwardly, and a ring-shaped coupling protrusion 34 formed on the samecircumference as the tension retaining piece 33. The ring-shapedcoupling protrusion 34 is inserted into the middle of the body of thecoupling member 35, and the coupling member 35 includes a coupling hole36 having a retaining groove 36 a formed on the inner circumference suchthat the retaining jaw 33 a of the tension retaining piece is caught tothe retaining groove not to be separated, and a through hole 37 whichhas a diameter smaller in diameter than the coupling hole and is formedto be stepped.

The nipple-shaped unit 50 is made of a silicon material which isharmless to human bodies, and includes a ring-shaped coupling part 53formed at the rear of a nipple 51. The coupling part 53 is inserted andcoupled between the ring-shaped coupling protrusion 34 of the fixingmember and a stepped jaw 38 of the coupling member so as to preventseparation.

The nipple-shaped unit 50 is coupled higher than the middle position ofthe secure coupling unit 30 such that the silicon tube body 10 isswollen not upwards but downwards so as not to block the forward view ofthe infant.

In the drawings, the unexplained reference numeral 39 designates asupport protrusion protruding inwardly from the ring-shaped couplingprotrusion 34.

Next, the operation and the action of the pacifier for infants accordingto the present invention will be described.

First, an assembling process of the pacifier for infants will bedescribed. The fixing member 31 of the secure coupling unit 30 iscoupled with the round coupling ring 15 formed on the rim of the openingpart 14 of the front of the silicon tube body 10.

That is, the coupling ring 15 which is thicker than the body of thesilicon tube body is tightly fit on the ring-shaped coupling groove 32formed on the outer circumference of the fixing member 31 so as to bedetachably and hermetically fixed.

In the above state, the nipple-shaped unit 50 is inserted into thecoupling member 35 through the coupling hole 36 and the through hole 37such that a coupling part 52 at the rear of the nipple-shaped unit 50 isinserted into the coupling member to be caught to the stepped jaw 38inside the coupling member.

Furthermore, the coupling hole 36 of the coupling member 35 is insertedinto the ring-shaped coupling protrusion 34 of the fixing member 31 andthe retaining jaw 33 a of the tension retaining piece 33 is resilientlyinserted into the retaining groove 36 a of the inner circumference ofthe coupling hole so as not to be separated.

At the same time, the coupling part 52 at the rear of the nipple-shapedunit is located to be inserted between the ring-shaped couplingprotrusion 34 of the fixing member and the stepped jaw 38 inside thecoupling member in order to support the nipple-shaped unit not to beseparated.

As described above, the pacifier for infants according to the presentinvention is used while air is injected or discharged through the valve12 after the nipple-shaped unit 50 is coupled to the silicon tube body10. The split part 12 a cut in the straight line is opened such that aircan be injected or discharged.

Especially, the right and left protrusions 12 b protruding from bothsides of the bottom of the split part 12 a push out the cover sheet 5getting in contact with the bottom of the valve so as to secure the gapspace 6. Therefore, the pacifier for infants can solve the problem thatthe cover sheet prevents air from being deflated while getting incontact with the split part and allow air to be smoothly injected anddischarged.

The infant holds the silicon tube body 10 with both hands while havingthe nipple-shaped unit 50 in the infant's mouth. Because the silicontube body 10 has the spherical body 11 made of the flexible siliconmaterial, when the infant touches the pacifier, the pacifier for infantsaccording to the present invention provides the infant with emotionalsecurity as if the infant were in the bosom of the infant's mother andthe development of the infant's brain, in comparison with traditionalplastic pacifiers.

Additionally, the body 11 of the silicon tube body has the upper portionA which is thicker than the remainder so as to be swollen not upwardsbut downwards when air is injected, and the nipple-shaped unit 50coupled with the front of the silicon tube body is coupled higher thanthe middle position such that the silicon tube body 10 does not blockthe forward view of the infant while having the nipple-shaped unit 50 inthe infant's mouth so as to provide the infant with psychologicalsecurity.

1. A pacifier for infants comprising: a silicon tube body having aspherical body with flexibility so that an infant feels the body like abreast of the infant's mother when the infant touches the body, a valvefor injecting air into the body or discharging air from the body, and around coupling ring integrally formed on the rim of an opening part ofthe front to be thicker than the body; a secure coupling unit fit andcoupled onto the coupling ring of the silicon tube body; and anipple-shaped unit coupled to the secure coupling unit.
 2. The pacifierfor infants according to claim 1, wherein the valve of the silicon tubebody includes a split part cut in a straight line so that air can beinjected or discharged, and right and left protrusions formed at bothsides of a lower portion of the split part, and the right and leftprotrusions push out a cover sheet closely combined with the lowerportion of the valve from the bottom of the split part so as to secure agap space allowing air to be injected or discharged.
 3. The pacifier forinfants according to claim 1, wherein the body of the silicon tube bodyhas an upper portion which is thicker than the remainder and is expandednot upwards but downwards when air is injected, so as not to block theforward view of the infant while the infant has the nipple-shaped unitin the infant's mouth.
 4. The pacifier for infants according to claim 1,wherein the secure coupling unit includes a fixing member and a couplingmember, wherein the fixing member has a ring-shaped coupling groovehermetically fit and coupled to the coupling ring of the silicon tubebody on the outer circumference of the body, a tension retaining piecehaving a retaining jaw formed at the outer face and tensioning inwardlyand outwardly, and a ring-shaped coupling protrusion formed on the samecircumference as the tension retaining piece, wherein the ring-shapedcoupling protrusion is inserted into the middle of the body and thecoupling member has a coupling hole having a retaining groove formed onthe inner circumference such that the retaining jaw of the tensionretaining piece is caught to the retaining groove not to be separated,and a through hole which has a diameter smaller in diameter than thecoupling hole and is formed to be stepped, and wherein a coupling partat the rear of the nipple-shaped unit is inserted between thering-shaped coupling protrusion of the fixing member and a stepped jawinside the coupling member so as not to be separated.